Houston Rockets Receive: C Dwight Powell, F Josh Green
Dallas Mavericks Receive: C Christian Wood
Here, the Houston Rockets prioritize financial flexibility over draft capital. Bertans’ contract runs for two more seasons after this summer, whereas Powell’s is expiring.
That’s significant for this club. As it stands, they’ll be shedding John Wall and Eric Gordon’s contracts after the 2022-23 season. They can enter next summer with the cap space to make noise if they so choose. Taking on Bertans’ pact places significant limitations on their options.
Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks shouldn’t miss Powell too badly. He’s a solid rim runner/rim protector. That happens to be the most replaceable archetype in the league. The boost that Wood would give their offense, by comparison, renders him expendable.
The Rockets, in all likelihood, won’t use him either. Part of the benefit of dealing Wood has to be clearing the runway for soon-to-be-sophomore Alperen Sengun. They’ll either trade him separately or stash him at the end of the bench.
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If we’ve learned anything from their dealings with John Wall, they won’t have an issue with that course of action.
